Waiting for Christmas

I finally bought a double jogger this week! I am soooo excited! The last few days I have been checking my FedEx tracking number constantly, hoping that my package will somehow arrive early. Here she is in all her glory:

She's a Tike Tech All Terrain X3 Sport Twin Stroller. Must be pretty fancy with a name like that, right? I'll admit I was tempted with a BOB stroller, the best on the market. But I think the guilt of spending that much money would make me feel like I had to use the dang thing every day. This stoller seems to have the same bells and whistles as the BOB with a smaller price tag and even a discount from the website I ordered it from. Thanks Ali, for the recommendation!

A few weeks ago I realized that Haley was suddenly "big" and I could try her out in the single jogger. First we walked down the street and back, just to make sure she wouldn't cry the whole time I was out running. Trevor wanted to come along too so here we are for the neighborhood entertainment:

I absolutely love to be outside! I can't wait to get this stroller not just for running but to head for the park, the zoo, even around the corner now that it's cooled down enough to be outside.

Questions for the Crystal Ball

When will my hair stop falling out? I knew it would be like this 2-3 months after Haley was born, but it's time to stop!

Will Trevor ever eat a normal diet? Maybe Haley will be a kid who likes food.

Is there a better schedule for our family than psychiatry? Birch is gone 8-4 these days with little studying when he gets home. I love this rotation!

Will Haley keep taking a bottle or did we just get lucky? We had our first date last weekend with NO kids. I could not stop smiling!

Where have all the pacifiers gone?

How many projects can we get done this weekend when our parents come to visit? Maybe paint a bedroom? Put up the swingset?

IHOP at Home

Since I cut milk out of my diet I've been trying different pancake recipes to mix up breakfast a little. I worked at IHOP when I was in college and I'll admit, I ate more chocolate-chip pancakes than any other. But I also loved their Harvest Grain n Nut pancakes and the first recipe is a good imitation of those. Trevor isn't a big fan of the nuts but he likes the pumpkin pancakes and it sneaks in a veggie. Both recipes have a lot of ingredients but once the pancakes are made you can freeze them and pop in the toaster the rest of the week.

Grain and Nut Whole Wheat Pancakes

3/4 c old-fashioned oatmeal
3/4 c whole wheat flour

1 t baking soda

1/2 t baking soda

1/2 t baking powder

1/4 t salt

3/4 c buttermilk

1/2 c milk

2 T vegetable oil

1 egg

3 T sugar

2 T chopped walnuts (optional)

Grind the oatmeal in a blender until fine. Mix dry ingredients together, then add wet ingredients. Makes about 10 pancakes.

Pumpkin Pancakes

2 c flour

3 T brown sugar

2 t baking powder

1 t baking soda

1 t allspice

1 t cinnamon

1/2 t dry ginger

1/2 t salt

1 1/2 c milk

1 c pumpkin

1 egg

2 T vegetable oil

2 T vinegar

Mix the wet and dry ingredients separately, then combine. Makes about 18 pancakes.

Six Years and Going Strong!

This week Birch and I celebrated our sixth wedding anniversary! Sadly, there was no candlelight dinner or roses. Instead we were driving up to Flagstaff to visit family and had two crying kids as we looked for a good rest stop in the middle of Phoenix. How romantic!

I thought I'd post a few pictures of us growing up together. We are one of those rare couples who dated in high school, actually got married after the guy's mission and even knew each other as kids. Sounds cute, but we weren't friends at all until high school. Enjoy!

3rd grade class picture

6th grade class picture (There are also pics from 4th and 5th grade, but you get the idea.)

Spring Break in Rocky Point, 1998. The first time we talked, became friends and started to fall in loooove. Cheesy, I know!

Junior prom, 1999.

Hiking Picacho Peak after Birch's mission.

Wedding day, nice and hot in August 2003.